HEATHER LYNNE HORTON - DON'T MESS WITH MRS. MURPHY

2017 - At the Helm

Heather Lynne Horton is not only a talented singer, songwriter and fiddler in her own right but is also, with acclaimed singer songwriter and husband Michael McDermott, one half of the equally acclaimed, The Westies. I suspect that as news of this album spreads far and wide an equal measure of acclaim will be heading in her direction although the early reviews and news indicate that is happening already! Stylistically this album differs greatly from both Michael and the Westies work, fairly obviously being more feminine, but also having a lovely soft music and vocal focus that quite contrarily is allied to a powerful edginess that roots the sentiments expressed in real life rather than some idealistic fantasy world. My first impression of 'Don't mess with Mrs. Murphy' was that it is full of beautiful, floaty, ethereal sounds that belie the fact that there is nothing sanitized or bland about this gorgeous album. The stories are gritty and realistic in a way that even many hard hitting folkies wouldn't dare approach. Some of that beauty has an air of discordancy, nothing oppressive, but enough to warn the listener that despite early impressions this is a long, long way from being an 'easy listening' album, although as the album unfolds you don't need any great foresight to come to that conclusion, just open ears and an imagination that will absorb the beautiful sounds whilst digesting the lyrics and sentiments. The beauty of the album is beyond doubt but there is an underlying feeling that despite the lovely sounds this is an artist who is waiting to pounce should there be any attempt at taking liberties or an assumption that the beauty should be taken as a sign of weakness. The arrangements have the songs poised as if ready to explode at any moment, something that imbues this fascinating album with its power, a power that virtually every album with similar generic qualities can only hope, with little chance of succeeding, to emulate. It is a recording on which an almost eerie tension exists at times between the lyrics and the beautiful music The eleven songs on this album were produced, engineered and mixed by Lex Price, who carried out the same function on Heathers debut 'Postcard Saturdays,' all of that work being carried out at The Collard Green and Resistor studios in Nashville, TN. Lyrically the songs were taken from Heathers own life struggles as well as perceptive commentary on those that many people suffer, even including a knowledgeable Wheelchair man. This recording is proof, were it needed, that tales from real life whether physical or emotional always have a greater sense of drama than those that are fictitious. Like her husband, Heather pulls no punches lyrically, exposing not only the depth of her emotions but also her attitude to life, love, other people and their attitudes but rarely in generalizations, always with great depth and insight, often into her own feelings. The impression, that is probably unwittingly created, is of a person who has fought many fights, understands herself, at the very least as well as most of us but finds much of the world she inhabits to be unacceptable but redeemable if only everyone could see it, although knowing there is little likelihood of that happening but conversely there are still tinges of hope. Maybe that is not how Heather sees herself and the world and perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree but music is art and this album is a very fine piece of art which we all have to interpret in our own way. Heather gave birth to daughter 'Rain' in 2011 and had to put her own solo career on hold to tend to her and Michaels new daughter, having to content herself with her work with The Westies. Both elements of her life must have been highly satisfying although it must also have had its frustrations, something that listeners to this album benefit from as she was storing material for this recording that has a cleverly contrived title, Murphy being Michael McDermott's surname. The album opens with Murphy's law a song that is mellow and haunting musically, with its beautiful chiming guitars and Heathers gorgeous expressive vocal on a song that is as personal as an open wound, perhaps an accurate description of Heathers relationship with Michael back in the early days of their relationship. In many ways this song defines the writing of both artists, no holding back of the emotions and a realism that few are brave enough to expose to the world. It is also an excellent example of what can be found on the remainder of this album, beautiful sounds with gritty lyrics! The production reminds me of Daniel Lanois and Robbie's work on Robbie Robertson's self titled debut solo album. First Michael wrote a tribute to daughter Rain (Willie Rain) for his incredible 'Willow Springs' album and now Heather writes a beautiful if deeper tribute to their child, Save the Rain, this one asking the question that many parents ask, 'what sort of a world have I bought this child into.' It is a stunning production that creates an almost ambient feel and just oozes parental love, with some gorgeous, almost angelic, harmonies adding to the dramatic, emotional depth. To ease her mind a little, most grandparents are imbued with the same worries, possibly even stronger after our generations' serial failures that have compounded the horrors that are prevalent in the modern world; let's just hope Rain and her generation don't make the same mistakes. Boomerang is another great song built on a beautiful melody and production with Heathers emotional hard hitting reading of a song about her adoptive father and her acceptance of the loss of the relationship. It is another case of 'beauty and the beast;' beautiful vocals, beautiful arrangement and melody but raw lyrical depths. Finally, F.U. is another beautifully atmospheric song, with gorgeous steel guitar and lovely duet vocals that echo the early 1960s but with a strong 'country' atmosphere. Unusually for this album it has an appealingly naive feel but will probably not get played on most radio stations, the clue being in the title! Having said that, there is more than enough material for playlists and I suspect that many listeners digesting the beauty of the sounds will be made to sit up and really listen to get the lyrical depths As the title implies 'Don't mess with Mrs. Murphy,' instead sit back and enjoy the beauty of the music and Heathers vocals and absorb the lyrical truisms of her stories until your heart's content! If I had to sum up the album in one sentence (you just know that will never happen!) it would contain the term 'great beauty and great depth,' but ultimately it is a recording that at least maintains the quality of her family's releases and really, music can't get much better than that.